Collapsible trestle work benches



KARL-AXEL ANDERSSON 5, COLLAPSIBLE TRESTLE WQRK BENCHES Sept. 22, 1959 Filed May 20; 1954 KARL-MEL ANDfRSSO/Y ATTORNEYS s im- COLLAPSIBLE TRESTLE WORK BENCHES Karl-Axel Andersson, Alingsas, Sweden Application May 20, 1954, Serial No. 431,241

1 Claim. (Cl. 182-154) The present invention relates to collapsible trestle work benches of the kind broadly comprising a supporting framework and an elongated rectangular platform carried by the framework and in which said framework is assembled from two substantially identical inverted U- members having their legs pivotally interconnected in pairs in X manner to cause the U-members to be collapsible into a structure of substantially flat configuration, and in which said platform is hinged at one longitudinal edge to the intervening portion or cross-bar of one of said -U-members and provided at its opposite longitudinal edge with a number of hook-members detachably engageable with the cross-bar of the other U-member.

More particularly the invention is concerned with trestle benches of the kind above referred to in which there is hinged to a strut-member extending in parallel relation to the hinge axis of the platform, and interconnecting the two legs of one of said U-members, a foot step which is swingable from a substantially horizontal operative position in which it is positively supported, to a storage position in a plane substantially coincident with the plane of said U-member.

The invention has for its object to provide a work trestle of the kind indicated which possesses great stability and in which the foot step is securely supported in its horizontal operative position.

For the object stated, the invention is mainly characterised by the feature that the foot step is permanently associated with said strut-member and that said strutmember is connected with the legs of the U-member towards the free ends of said legs by two oppositely inclined stays serving as abutments for supporting the foot step in its horizontal operative position.

One specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a trestle bench according to the invention, the bench being shown in its extended operative position;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the bench taken along the line IIII in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the bench in its collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawing more specifically, numerals 1 and 2 designate two substantially identical U-members of rectangular configuration and made of tubing, the straight intervening or cross-bar portions of which being designated by 3 and 4 and their legs by 5 and 6 respectively. The legs 5 and 6 of the yoke-members cross each other in X manner in pairs and are pivotally interconnected at their respective crossings by pivots 7. In the region of each crossing each one of the leg-forming tubes is cross-cut and the two parts joined together by an inter- Patented Sept. 22, 1959 mediate connecting member 9 having projecting spigots 10 which are secured in the tube ends. The intervening cross-bar 3 of one of the members, i.e. 1, has hinged on it an elongated rectangular platform 11 which has secured to one of its flat surfaces by bolts 12 two transversely extending iron strips 13 one end of each such strip being bent into a ring 14 encircling the cross-bar 3 while the other end portion thereof is bent over upon itself so as to form an open hook 15 which is adapted to be hooked over the intervening cross-bar 4 of the other U-member in a manner which will best appear from Figure 2. The legs of the member 1 are interconnected by a tubular strut 16 in spaced parallel relation to the intervening cross-bar 3 and reinforced by two oppositely inclined stays 17. Hinged to the tubular strut member 16 is a foot step 18 having secured to its underside two transversely extending iron strips 19 formed with ring-shaped end portions 19:: encircling the tube 16 and having each welded to them an angle piece 20, said angle pieces serving as abutments co-operating with the stays 17, as illustrated in Figure 2, so as to maintain the foot step 18 in its horizontal operative position.

For the conveyance or storage of the trestle bench the U-members forming the framework are collapsed and the platform 11 and foot step 18 folded down along the legs 5, 6 into the inoperative position as shown in Figure 3, in which position the bench can be readily handled during conveyance and will take up minimum space.

It should be understood that the invention is not restricted to the embodiment described hereinbefore in conjunction with the accompanying drawing since the same is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the invention.

What I claim is:

In a collapsible work bench having a pair of parallel supporting legs, a swingable footstep comprising a strut member extending substantially perpendicular to, between and connecting said supporting legs, a pair of stays each extending from and connecting a medial portion of said strut member to a free end portion of one of said legs for strengthening the load supporting ability of said legs, a pair of angular supporting arms permanently and rotatably connected at one end to said strut and extending laterally therefrom, a step member mounted across the free end portions of said arms, a pair of stops each attached to one of said arms and positioned thereon for engaging one of said stays during the rotation of said arms in one direction, said arms having an angular configuration whereby the free end portions thereof and said step member extend substantially horizontal in a load supporting position when retained by said stops and substantially parallel to said legs in a storage position when said arms are rotated in an opposite direction until said step contacts said stays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,737 Taylor May 5, 1908 920,747 Hughes May 4, 1909 1,245,958 OConnor Nov. 6, 1917 1,295,073 Schwartz et al. Feb. 18, 1919 2,125,830 Uecker et al. Aug. 2, 1938 2,217,658 De Puy Oct. 15, 1940 2,333,734 Nieltopp Nov, 9, 1943 2,378,678 Anderson June 19, 1945' 2,467,688 Oertle et al. Apr. 19, 1949 

